King and Crown Princess of Sweden attend defence conference

Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/The Royal Court of Sweden






King Carl XVI Gustaf and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden attended the People and Defence Conference in Sälen.

The King opened the conference with a speech, and the Crown Princess was spotted taking notes as her father spoke.

His Majesty said during his address, “As the People and Defence turns 80, we are reminded of the importance of tirelessly safeguarding our common security. It is a societal responsibility we all share – as is the responsibility to keep the dialogue alive and strengthen our cohesion for the good of Sweden.”

He added, “It is always important to stand up for international law and uphold the global security order, which is based on the principles of state sovereignty and the right to self-determination.”

King Carl Gustaf also stressed, “I urge everyone to be on guard against the forces of disintegration that the time of crisis provokes. Cohesion and cooperation among the people must not be weakened by the egoism of individuals and groups. Good community spirit and mutual solidarity belong to our preparedness, as well as the material means of power.”

The theme for the 2026 conference is “Action and Delivery.”

The King and Crown Princess attended the conference to mark 80 years since the first conference took place in 1946.

This year, around 400 people attended the conference that had 60 speakers.

According to the Royal Court, “The focus is on world security, Sweden’s defence, people’s safety and society’s crisis preparedness.”